Dairy
Fior di Latte
Fior di latte is fresh Italian cow’s-milk mozzarella—literally “flower of milk”—made by the pasta filata method of heating and stretching curd into soft, milky balls or braids held in light brine. It is deliberately distinguished from mozzarella di bufala: same spinning technique, cow milk only, with a clean, delicate dairy flavour and high moisture that weeps whey when cut. It is the everyday fresh mozzarella of Italian kitchens for caprese, pizza napoletana when buffalo is not used, antipasti, and melting. Best eaten within days of production, it sits at the mild, fresh end of the pasta filata family that also includes scamorza and the shell of burrata.
Also known as: Fior di latte del Cilento
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History
Cow’s-milk stretched curds were made alongside buffalo mozzarella in southern Italian dairying districts where cattle were the main dairy animal.
The name fior di latte came into use for the finest fresh cow’s-milk spun cheeses of Campania and neighbouring regions.
Neapolitan pizza culture relied on local fresh cow mozzarella as well as buffalo when supplying urban pizzerie.
Refrigerated distribution expanded fior di latte from local latticini shops to national fresh-dairy counters.
PDO for buffalo Campania mozzarella sharpened retail contrast with fior di latte as the labelled cow-milk fresh style.
Artisan and DOP-adjacent cow mozzarella makers emphasised short supply chains and same-day freshness for restaurants.